Some retirees celebrate with a farewell dinner, and maybe a gold watch. Professor of Music Steve Katz – “Doc,” – pianist and professor in the Southwest Tennessee Community College Macon Cove music department and director of the Mak’n Music! Ensemble, is celebrating his retirement with a weekend of concerts – his treat – and inviting the whole town to come enjoy! It all comes down Saturday and Sunday, November 22 and 23 respectively. It’s all a grand look-back at the joys of 35 years of teaching, 25 of them at Southwest.

It’s Raining Music! is Saturday’s concert, at 7 p.m. in the Macon Cove Campus Farris Auditorium, themed on the hit song by the Weathergirls (somebody said emcee Jim Jaggers of WREG-TV Channel 3 suggested that theme!).

Feature selections include a ‘60s girl group medley of A Lover’s Concerto, Leader of the Pack, My Guy, and Chapel of Love, arranged by Doc and Justin Jaggers; Opera Memphis soprano and Mak’n Music! Ensemble member Tanisha Ward singing Can’t Help Lovin’ that Man from the musical, Showboat and operatic favorite Come Back to Sorrento; and Led Zeppelin’s Black Dog with Justin Jaggers, bassist extraordinaire, taking over to play what is the usual vocal line. Plus, a huge lineup of solo pianists and favorite ensemble rockers will be included.

Sunday’s concert is at 2 p.m., also in the Farris Auditorium: Doc Looks Bach – and he’s turned over direction to Justin Jaggers, assisted by Josh Haynes and Steve Haynes, with Jim Jaggers emceeing again, because Doc plans to perform a lot.

The ensemble will perform Doc’s favorite songs from its years of performing, such as A Day in the Life (Beatles), White Rabbit (Grace Slick), and Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin). Doc comes on with three piano solos – Hungarian Rhapsody #2 (Liszt), Pathetique Sonata (Beethoven), and Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), followed by Doc and guest pianist Diana Kabakoff performing variations on The William Tell Overture (Rossini). Next, Doc and guest saxophonist Bob Schwarz will play a medley of Oh Mein Papa and My Yiddishe Momma, a tribute to Steve’s late parents, Lena and Kolman Katz. The finale will see Doc accompanying special guest artists Dr. Ada Shotwell, September Song; Saralyn Weiss for At Last and The Man That Got Away; and Tanisha Ward’s Summertime, along with favorite Mak’n Music! musicians.

As always, grand pianos are generously provided by Amro Music. Both concerts are free. As usual, any donations for the Steve Katz/Amro Scholarship Fund are most welcome, and everyone’s invited to enjoy the music and bid Dr. Katz farewell.